Sign In / Register
Accolades for council
I was deeply disturbed when I read the recent letter in You Say from Luke Williamson (MF Jul 14) that was extremely critical of the performance of the current council leadership and members. This current council has achieved more in three years than any other council since the old Otamatea County Council in the early 2000’s.
The last council, supported The Mangawhai Central 900-plus lot Plan Change that would have seen 300 square metre lots that it would have been impossible to site a water tank on. It was stupid and thankfully only the investment of generous time and funding from some ratepayers saw this council-approved decision at the Environment Court.
Indeed, the EC confirmed that no meaningful forward planning had been undertaken to deal with the downstream effect of the development that would put huge pressure on Mangawhai infrastructure and Kaipara-wide finances.
Some important and long-awaited successes of the current leadership and council.
- Rates – It fought against an initial staff proposal last year for a 33% rate increase, cutting it to below 10%. This year it countered a staff proposal for a double-digit rate hike, forcing a reduction to an 8.3% increase. These battles were long and hard work.
- Development contributions – Money paid by developers for infrastructure. For more than a decade, ratepayers have been pushing KDC to increase these charges from $29,000 per lot to actual costs. The previous council didn’t have the stomach to increase these, but our current council has forced an increase to more than $50,000 per lot, saving ratepayers millions in subsidising development.
- Tight governance – It rejected a staff proposal for a $12 million library in Mangawhai and a $14 million one for Dargaville, opting for improvement to current facilities. The rejected proposal would have added an unnecessary burden on ratepayers.
- Dis-established the Northland Transportation Alliance – Took roading management back in-house. Changed to new contractor Downer who can now be questioned by councillors and staff at monthly council meetings. Its saved money and is more transparent. Required 40% of work to be carried out by local contractors thereby keeping more money in our local communities.
- Reserves contributions policy – Now 100% of these funds paid by developers will be kept in the catchment where they have been collected. Previously, a percentage of funds (up to 40%) were siphoned off for wider Kaipara use. The decision ensures “growth pays for growth” and KDC can fund parks, reserves and public amenities in the areas where growth pressures are the greatest.
- District Plan – This long-awaited “Development Plan” has finally proposed limiting growth in Mangawhai which has huge growth pressure, but supporting growth from Kaiwaka through to Dargaville to help these communities grow and become more vibrant. When the current council took office, it over-turned and forced the revision of proposals that would have seen unacceptable future growth in Mangawhai that would have been impossible to support by amenities or by future infrastructure.
So as a KDC ratepayer, I’m grateful for the work of our current Mayor and Councillors and know with certainty they are looking after our interests.
Peter Nicholas, Mangawhai
